[Octopus]: Wink - Octopus Digueti

[DWhatley]

If she is eating what you have, I would not change the type of shrimp but adding variety is usually a good idea, at least after they are fully acclimated. Since you are getting shore shrimp and fiddlers, I would continue with what you have and offer the new food when it arrives. I forgot to suggest leaving a piece of shell on. We have had success with doing just that when an octopus refused shrimp. Eventually they will take it shell off when they are accustomed to dead food on a stick. With the merc, I think it is more a matter of size and if this one is accepting the shrimp without shell, I would not offer shell on as they don't eat it or get nutrients from it and it is just one more thing you need to get out of the tank. Note that the time of day may have been part of the initial refusal since mercs are nocturnal/crepuscular. Mine usually ate around 11:00. You may be able to adjust the time to feed to some degree by turning off the room lights (assuming no outside lighting - easier in the winter) a couple of hours before you want to feed.

I have seen many people report that their octopuses ate hermits. With one exception (LittleBit, O. vulgaris, ate ANYTHING that moved in her tank but was a little slow at taking dead food. I think it was with her that we discovered shell-on helped to initiate eating dead food) none of my 20+ animals ate hermits (at least not in detectable quantity and definitely not after being accustomed to being fed). I still have a couple of red legs in my tank after at least two octos and almost that many years.

I have no strong feelings about Instant Ocean but I do like the company and I know of at least two major aquariums that use it (likely it was originally donated for the advertisement but ...). I have used one acquired (not purchased) off brand that was terrible and another major brand that formed a strange brown "scum" at the top of my mixing bucket. The scum did not negatively impact the tanks and I used it up but went back to IO. There are more expensive brands that others swear by but I never see direct comments that are convincing and usually write the enthusiasm off to brand loyalty (like iXxx products ). In general, salt brand does not seem to be majorly impactive as long as it does not contain harmful metals and dissolves well.

Anecdotally, inking in the tank seems to be somewhat species related and merc keepers rarely see inking at all. Interestingly, adult O. hummelincki almost appear to need to release ink from time to time. It is almost like they build up a supply and if it is not used, need to release it. There could be other explanations but we have several reports and I have personally noted inking for no reason on a well adjusted animals. A rapid scare, however, will almost always cause any octopus that we keep to release at least a small amount. Major inking is very rare and I only recall two instances where the entire tank was blackened. One was with an O. vulgaris and the other, one of my O. hummelinckis. The vulgaris died (whether it was dieing and inking or the ink killed it is not known). Fortunately, I had an open tank and could relocate the O. hummelincki as soon as she stopped pouring out ink. I suspect in both cases the contact with ink itself may have caused the excessive outpour of more but have no clue why these two animals were different from the many others we have journaled.

 

[QueenB]

1 hermit is missing today and so is the shell. She hasn't come out of her cave/den at all during the day anymore, just the first initial day and that was it. I think just to see her surroundings is my only guess. Still waiting on the Shrimps and crab to arrive.

I have an idea for a modification for the top of the tank. I want to use a thick piece of plexiglas and have Velcro all the way around it to hold it down. I know it won't be aesthetically pleasing to the eye, but I was thinking on making a makeshift top with white chair rail style framing around it to look like a custom built hood/top to hide the Velcro top. Maybe put some Red lights in there for viewing.

I'm also trying to find a better stand then the one it is on. I just haven't felt comfortable with the style or material it is made from. I seen one a while back on www.nano-reef.com that had a granite top and the build was amazing.

 

[DWhatley]

Great looking cabinet but press board (the decorative outer paneling) does not do well with moisture. Any water that gets in between the laminated sides will expand the press board. With his support system it would not impact the functionality but, as messy as I am around my tanks, the esthetics would not hold up.

Dollars to donuts, the crab and shell are in the den. One of my octos (not merc) would get very annoyed at her doorway because it kept trying to leave

 

[QueenB]

I'm messy as well with water changes and maintenence. It's not overly sloppy but water does tend to get on the sides. I always clean up my mess with a vinegar spray bottle I use for saltcreep but this could be problemsome.

I was just in the kitchen making lunch, and she was still in her den. She has her arms going in and out of all the holes again in that piece of LR and she even came to the edge of the den to peer at me. I thought she might be hungry since she hasnt taken another piece of shrimp since 2 days ago. So I tried a tiny piece and she just grabbed it then spit it out and blew it out of her den. I sure hope those crabs and shrimp arrive today. I'm starting to get worried. How often should she be fed? I was trying twice a day.

 

[QueenB]

I cant see past her in the den, but I know I stuck 2 in there. The smaller of the 2 is running around the tank cleaning up super tiny pieces of crab or munching on debris.

 

[DWhatley]

There are differing opinions on how often an adult octopus should be fed. We feed ours daily (twice a day is definitely too frequent for anything but a hatchling though I think LittleBit, O. vulgaris, might have been willing to accept an additional feeding) with a one day a week fast (but will give a small treat if the animal insists it is hungry). Many keepers feed once every other, every second or every third day (but with more food than a daily routine so total food seems about the same). There is some circumstantial evidence that skipping meals extends the lifespan. I'm not sold on this observation for warm water species. IME, they will not overeat, will eat ravenously just before brooding and take less food (sometimes skipping days) once they begin to enter senescence. During final senescence and while brooding, most will not eat at all (I keep offering though and some, the ones that live slightly longer, will continue to eat small amounts).

 

[QueenB]

Makes me feel better that I'm being overly paranoid. I'll give it another day or 2 and wait for the crabs and shrimp.

I might try the shrimps first. I want to make sure the crabs aren't going to be too big. I requested on the shipment to have appropriate size crab sent for an Octopus the size of a golf ball. I don't want to waste anything if their too big for her to consume.

I wanted to ask about your barnacles. I've been on the search for some, and everything I find are chemically treated, or are glued with some kind of glue. I want something safe for them, so I'm being extremely cautious on what I get. How did you acquire yours? I have friends and family that live near the beaches in California and Florida on the lookout for some, but their finding chemically treated ones to.

 

[DWhatley]

Here, ebay is your friend. Searching for purple barnacles in the aquarium category should produce untreated but you can send a question to the seller to be sure. Avoid the "collectable->seashells" category as they are likely treated to retain color or be glued.

 

[QueenB]

I bid and am waiting on the auction end on a 9" x 6" x 4.5" barnacle. Thanks so much for the suggestion. I couldn't find anything that wasn't chemically treated or was glued together.

I'm curious to what you guys think of this Spin Stream return nozzle. I have the regular factory return nozzles but am looking at this one to improve the oxygen levels in the tank. Do you think it's still ok to keep the air pump going as well with the fine mist air stone in the back? I just want to make sure with me sealing the top with Plexiglas there is enough gas exchange in the sump area. I know this is a must with any kind of reef tank or cephalopod tank.

I bought Extra Large coarse sponges to help block off the filter vents. I'm cutting them a smidge larger then the box so they fit tight and can't be budged unless I actually pull them out. Also have to pay attention to the water flow as well so that it's not so tight it blocks the water in and floods the tank.

I'm putting carbon in 3 sections in the back. 2 medium size bags (one on each side of the sump inlets under the sponges) and a large bag (near the return pump). But I do have a new skimmer on it's way as my Tunze has kicked the bucket. You think on my 38 with her she will be fine without one? I'm thinking to add it just in case. But I also think they don't produce as much waste as a larger Octopus that would definitely need it. Better safe then sorry.

I'm just trying to take every precaution I can so I'm a good Octo Mommy.

 

[QueenB]

Here she is refusing food last night. I cut it up smaller after this video and she still wouldn't take it. I just wanted to use this video as a reference to anyone curious how it looks when they say "Nope I'm not hungry tonight."

 

[cuttlegirl]

I would still use a skimmer on her tank because a skimmer removes different kinds of waste than regular filtration.

 

[QueenB]

Yup was thinking the same thing. It's a 38 Gallon tank and the skimmer is supposed to work for a tank up to a 65 gallons. I hate having to buy a skimmer and bring it home only to find it too big and won't fit. The one I bought is specifically designed for this tank. They make a smaller one for up to 25 Gallons. I'm just hoping for the bioload it is the right size.

 

[DWhatley]

@QueenB, it does worry me a little that you may have missed my point about this one being fully adult. They only live 8 -13 (officially 10 but I have had tank a couple of tank born live as longs 13 and as short as 8) months. I don't want to discourage you but I try to make it clear that setting up and curing a tank usually takes more time than the captive life of its first resident.

 

[QueenB]

Oh no I didn't miss it at all. I understand she is full grown. She was kind of plopped on my lap, without much of a warning, and I did not have anything large enough set up for an Octopus or for even a dwarf that was ready. I had actually downsized all my tanks last summer. I had 9 setups in all down to 3. (MTS remember) The tank she is in was being occupied by a 1" Snowflake Platinum clown fish & Corals with the LR for about 7 months now. I know its far too small for her hence why I would like to move her.

I have a 3" Puzzle piece Black Percula that was beating up on the 1" tiny Snowflake one because of how small it was and the black one is trying to mate with the 4" larger Misbar female in my main tank so I had to remove him. I set up another 4 gallon glass tank to plop the tiny Snowflake Clown fish in with the corals and used the other tank as a home for her now since it has been up and running for about 7 months now.

The Red Sea Max 130 (36 gallon) has 2 (3-4")Clown Fish, (5")Sand sifting Goby, 1 Huge Bristle Starfish, and a ton of Blue legs with 2 Mexican turbos. I had nothing setup to put them all in or I would have put her in that one when I brought her home. I'm in the process of selling off moving the corals & livestock in that tank now to the Innovative Marine 38. I moved the RSM last year this time & it's been set up for over a year. I know the RSM would be better for her then the IM 38 that I set back up. But I want to be prepared as the IM is going to be the Octopus tank in the long run since it's far easier to modify, keep cool, and clean then the RSM. The IM doesn't get hot from the pumps it stays a steady 75. My RSM 250 (66gallon) could hit 83-85 degrees in the summer even with the lid on with a tank fan on it. We bought the wrong kind of chiller a few years ago. It was built for an under the tank sump so it's sitting in the basement collecting dust. The RSM 130 sofar hasn't gotten above 75 even in the summer.

We're going to experiment with the new IM skimmer (up to 65 gallons), but I have another on hand in case this one doesn't work out. I have a JBJ Nanno skimmer (up to 45 gallons I think) and it works great, although it sticks out so far from the top of the tank I can't close the back lid on the RSM. The Biocube skimmer (up to 25 gallons) I feel is far too small for the job. And I have an Aquatic Life 115 protein skimmer (up to 30 gallons) that produces a very wet green skimmate and works great that I empty out twice a day sometimes even 3. I'm not sure that one is big enough. Fine tuning a skimmer is a pain, but as long as it works, and I keep emptying it I'm happy.


So to be clear. I want to move the fish and Corals from the RSM to the IM (38gallon) that has live sand and LR already in it. Cycling time should be shorter if it even needs it. The LR has already been cycled and has purple Coraline algae on it from my LFS that I picked & pulled from their stocked tanks that have livestock in it. They would adjust fine to it after acclimation. Then move her to the RSM (36 gallon) that has been set up for a year. After she passes (after a couple of months or hopefully longer) I plan on looking for another dwarf to use the IM tank for. I want to build the IM tank up specifically for an Octopus so I am more prepared.

When the first one died I put in an order with my LFS for another one but that was quit a long time ago. I got discouraged after a while not being able to find another. So I sold my big RSM And then I forgot about even ordering one because it has been so long. So it was very unexpected getting the call that he had her in and I panicked and threw together what I could. No matter what I want to have this IM 38 prepared for one.

 

[QueenB]

I apologize for sounding like I was just going to just plop her in the IM and I hope I'm more clear on my intentions now. I realized after I read through it all how it actually sounded. I understand that it's far to early to just plop her in there. The biological filtration definitely has to be established in there. I know I don't want to take any chances on her though. I was hoping by reference to her dwarf size that it would work.

I use Bio Spira alot and it helps when breaking in a new tank or even with a full 100% water change. The RSM didn't even spike when I set it up. It slightly raised a bit then went back down when the crabs snails and a few damsels were thrown in. I monitored it every 4 days and I don't remember it spike. I set it up the same way as I just did the IM. Cycled LR, Live sand bed, & Bio Spira.

Some fish can handle a new tank setup if acclimated correctly and there isn't too much of a bio load. (too many fish and sufficient filtration) Although Cephs are SOO MUCH MORE sensitive and take much more care. Oxygen, water, food, tank size ect. (not in any particular order)

Water changes are also a HUGE deal on any tank. I can not stress that enough.

Daughter just reminded me that I explained to them a long time ago about any aquarium. (we love going to aquariums)

Imagine being that fish living in the same filthy water without it being oxygenated, changed, or even filtered correctly. I cringe when I see beta bowls or bowls set up.